One of the recurring themes throughout the season for the Montesano Bulldogs was that just about everything that came with success was a new experience.
That included playing in big games with much at stake.
Unfortunately for Montesano, that theme was prevalent in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs were outplayed in crunch time for a 69-54 loss to Sultan in a 1A State Tournament first-round loss on Saturday at Tumwater High School.
The two teams played close throughout the first quarter as No. 12 Monte (19-7 overall) took a 13-11 lead over No. 13 Sultan (16-6) on a pair of free throws from senior guard Jaxson Wilson with 20 seconds left in the frame.
With Monte up 16-14 with two minutes gone in the second quarter, Turks sophomore forward Dominic Castillo scored eight straight points to put Sultan up 22-16, forcing a Monte timeout with 4:06 to play in the first half.
Monte would trail by as much as 11 points in the frame before a layup from senior forward Tyce Peterson with one second left had the Bulldogs trailing 31-22 at halftime.
Needing a spark of life to get back into the game against the hot-shooting Turks, Montesano stormed out the gate in the second half.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano guard Peyton Damasiewicz (22) scores on a drive and layup during the Bulldogs’ 69-54 loss to Sultan in a 1A State Tournament first-round game on Saturday at Tumwater High School.
The Bulldogs opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run, tying the game at 31-all when senior guard Peyton Damasiewicz stole the ball at midcourt and scored on a breakaway layup, creating a proverbial eruption from the Montesano faithful less than two minutes into the second half.
Sultan quickly regained the lead on a dunk by senior guard Tobias Trichler, but Monte would go up by five with an 8-1 run capped by a Damasiewicz layup for a 39-35 lead with 3:30 left in the period.
“I think it was just confidence, rebounding and stopping (the Trichler twins) from scoring,” Wilson said of the Bulldogs’ third-quarter turnaround. “That’s what we did and that’s how we got that long run.”
“We did not rebound very well in the first half and we let them speed us up a little bit. We talked about controlling tempo,” Monte head coach Leonard Barnes said. “We were going to have to play really good defense and we were going to have to rebound and not give them second-chance points and value the ball. … We had to come out and play fearless and let it go. We were playing tentative and a little bit nervous.”
But Monte missed several chances to extend the lead on subsequent possessions, and the Turks took advantage.
A pair of free throws by senior guard Elias Trichler followed by a corner three from Tobias Trichler tied the game at 39-39 with 2:40 on the clock.
Monte would again go up by five after an offensive rebound and putback by Damasiewicz with 1:34 left in the third.
But an 8-0 Sultan run highlighted by a 3-pointer from each of the Trichler twins had Monte trailing 47-44 with 35 seconds on the clock.
Damasiewicz knotted things up at the end of the frame when he scored and was fouled for a 3-point play at 23 seconds as the game was tied 47-47 entering the fourth quarter.
And that’s where the highlights ended for Monte as Sultan took control of the game with an 11-0 run to kick off the final quarter as the Bulldogs missed their first six shots from the field.
A three from Elias Trichler put the Turks up by double digits for the first time at 58-47, forcing a Monte time out with 5:26 to play.
Monte would shave the deficit to seven points when senior center Soren Cobb scored in the low post off an assist from senior forward Gabe Bodwell, making it a 60-53 game with 2:59 to play.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano center Soren Cobb, left, looks to pass during the Bulldogs’ 69-54 loss to Sultan in a 1A State Tournament first-round game on Saturday at Tumwater High School.
But Castillo responded with a three and the Turks closed the game with a 9-1 run to end Montesano’s season.
“They slowed the game down for themselves and they controlled the game,” Wilson said of the fourth quarter. “We kind of rushed. Our shots were a little rushed. We didn’t use the clock well and that’s what it really came down to.”
“In the fourth quarter, (Sultan) hit some tough shots. We just didn’t get it done in the half-court defense in that fourth quarter,” Barnes said. “We dug ourselves a hole and it was just tough to come out from it.”
Monte was led by junior guard Delon Chan with 21 points and Damasiewicz with 12 points.
Bulldogs senior forward Tyce Peterson had eight points while Wilson, Cobb and senior forward Cam Taylor had four points apiece.
Bodwell had just one point and was hampered with foul trouble the entire game after picking up two in the first half.
The loss ends a season of turnaround for Montesano as the Bulldogs were plus-15 in the win column after a dreadful 4-16 2022-23 season.
“Coming off of last year when we were 4-16 to now where we were 19-7, I think that’s pretty well-spoken,” Wilson said. “We’re just a family and we played together as a family and that’s what it came down to. We had some rough times, but the thing was we bounced back and we learned how to play as a team and that’s how we got here.”
“Super proud of my kids and thankful to all my coaches for all their help. They all did a great job. Could not ask for any better effort out of the players. I’d also like to acknowledge the parents and the supporters, they were just amazing,” said Barnes, reflecting on the season. “They had a great year. No one likes to lose, but they left a solid foundation for this program. This program has an excellent opportunity to continue to climb next year.”
Barnes also took time to honor seniors Wilson, Bodwell, Damasiewicz, Peterson, Cobb, Taylor, Carter Crites and Spencer Lovell.
“So proud of the seniors. They gave it everything and were great leaders and ambassadors,” he said. “I can’t say thanks enough for how hard they worked and believed.”
Sultan 11 20 16 22 – 69
Montesano 13 9 25 7 – 54
Scoring: Sultan – T. Trichler 23, Castillo 22, E. Trichler 17, Lopez 3, Agnew 3. Montesano – Chan 21, Damasiewicz 12, Peterson 8, Wilson 4, Cobb 4, Taylor 4, Bodwell 1.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano guard Delon Chan (21) tosses the ball away as the final buzzer sounds in the Bulldogs’ 69-54 loss to Sultan in a 1A State Tournament first-round game on Saturday at Tumwater High School.
